There are many things to consider during renovations. Your budget is one thing; goals, timeline, contractors, permits, and materials are other things to prioritize while renovating your home.
But what of pest control?
While pest control may not be a priority on your list, it’s an issue worth your attention. And you’ll find out why in this post.
Pest control before renovation
Before renovating your home, it’s important you inspect it for pests. The aim is to ensure you get rid of unwanted visitors before renovating.
You can carry out the inspection yourself, which isn’t advisable as you may lack the experience, skill, and equipment to do the job effectively. Or you can hire an experienced pest control specialist to carry out a pest and building inspection on your property.
And after the inspection is done and you are given the go-ahead, you can start with your renovation knowing your house is pest-free.
Pest control during renovation
Pest control during renovation is also important as it ensures that pest issues don’t spring up during construction.
Imagine being faced with termite issues when installing new hardwood, tile, or carpet on your floor.
Not good, right?
The best way to avoid this and prevent long-term damage to your precious property is by ensuring that pest issues are well addressed.
You can have a pest control specialist inspect your renovation before it’s complete. Doing this will ensure that you spot any pest issues early, ensuring that you don’t undo all your hard work once done.
Pest control post-renovation
You’ll want to carry out a pest inspection immediately after your renovation is complete, especially if you failed to do so during the renovation phase.
Inspecting your property for pests post-renovation will ensure that no pests invade your property while working. It’ll also ensure that you aren’t sealing in anything that’ll end up as a bigger problem in the future.
You’d want to contact an experienced pest control expert for this task, preferably one close by.
Don’t have any experts in mind? Visit Google, search for the keyword Terminix pest control near me, and select whatever pops up. Hiring qualified pest control, especially one close by, will save you a lot of hassle.
Why do renovations attract pests?
Renovations can attract pests due to many reasons. First, you are opening up an area, introducing foreign materials like wood, plumbing fixtures, and roofing materials, and increasing foot traffic through your home. With so much activity going on in your home, the chances of pests sneaking in increase significantly.
Spaces opened to the outdoors.
Construction sites are often messy, making them the perfect breeding space for pests. Rats, mice, and birds may take the construction site as a cozy relaxation spot and stay there all night.
Since the area is likely to be void of people when work isn’t ongoing, there is no one to stop these pests from entering and making themselves comfortable. When workers return the following day, those pests may hide deeper in the home.
Huge problem!
If you are renovating your interior, you may be safe from this problem since construction workers tend to conceal open windows or exist to prevent pests from filtering in. However, sometimes a renovation has to be left open, which is common with huge renovation projects. In such a case, you may be vulnerable to pest invasion.
Ensure that you inspect raw materials.
Does your renovation include wood? If yes, ensure you take time to inspect it first to ensure that they aren’t infested.
For instance, things like timers are stored outdoors in the reach of pests. Of course, wood is treated to prevent this, but not all treatments are 100% effective.
You should keep your eyes out for termites who have an affinity for wood. You should also inspect your raw materials for moths, ants, beetles, etc. These pests can be transported to your home from where the materials were picked up.
Keep on top of cleaning up.
While we hope you only have to deal with clean tradesmen, the opposite may be the case sometimes. Some tradesmen are untidy. They often leave litter in their wake. And if left unaddressed, this mat attracts rodents, birds, or other pests.
If your home is open up while the renovation is on, the last thing you want is mice who snack on an open bread to see what else they can salvage inside.
Demolition waste and construction particles stored in open waste bins can also draw in pests. Ensure you store all cellulose-based materials left on the floor in contained areas.
Conclusion
Renovation creates an enabling environment for pests to thrive. Failure to consider pest control while renovating your home may lead to many issues that could result in you spending money that should have been invested in other things. These issues include infestation of insects, rodents, and other pests that can damage your home.
